Crisis in Russia's Ulan-Ude Aviation Due To Delay In Orders From India, Pakistan

Russian Helicopters Group’s subsidiary Ulan-Ude Aviation aircraft plant in East Siberia is under crisis due to delay in orders from India and Pakistan for manufacturing helicopters.

The customers, India and Pakistan, are currently in talks with the plant but are protracting them, Head of the Republic of Buryatiya Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn was quoted as saying by Tass news agency today. "This is a feeling that they need helicopters but cannot pay for them now," he said. 

"I have to note that the crisis has affected not only us but foreign countries as well. This year, the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant is short of foreign orders," Nagovitsyn added.

"Last year, we manufactured 75 helicopters and delivered most of them to foreign customers. This year, the plant is expected to produce 53-55 helicopters for Russia’s Defense Ministry," Nagovitsyn said in an interview with Buryatiya TV channel. However, the plant’s current orders are much cheaper than last year’s orders, Nagovitsyn said.

"This year, the plant has no profit. Next year, the republic will receive an income tax of only 400 million rubles [$6 million]. Earlier, we used to receive an income tax of up to 5 billion rubles [$79 million] from it [the plant]," the head of the republic said, hoping that the following year will be more profitable for the plant and will provide it with new export orders.

Earlier Nagovitsyn told TASS that the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant broke the record over the past 15-20 years manufacturing 75 helicopters.